Jimmy Vesey left Rangers practice early on Sunday after falling and limping off the ice. Head coach Peter Laviolette confirmed that Vesey has a lower-body injury and is currently being assessed, noting that the incident seemed relatively harmless.
The 31-year-old Vesey is competing to reclaim his position on the fourth line, where he spent most of the past two seasons. Prior to his exit, he was skating alongside Sam Carrick and Matt Rempe.
After being a healthy scratch for the first game last season, Vesey went on to play in 80 out of 82 games, recording 13 goals and 13 assists, with an average ice time of 12:23 per game.
Meanwhile, the Devils were preparing to travel to Prague for two regular-season games against the Sabres, leaving a thinner roster for their home-and-home exhibition series against the Rangers.
Most key Devils players are expected to participate in the games at O2 Arena, while others will face the Rangers on Monday and Tuesday. Laviolette acknowledged that the lineup will be different due to the team’s overseas trip, but emphasized that this is still a crucial evaluation phase for the players.
Despite the back-to-back games, Laviolette indicated that a few players might play in both matchups. When asked about evaluating players not competing against NHL-level opponents, he was straightforward: “If you think he’s that good, then he should dominate.” He stressed the importance of using this time as a means to assess players, particularly those vying for a roster spot.
